February 16, 2025
The immediate past Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, has allegedly been indicted by the administrative panel of inquiry set up by the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo to investigate the financial accounts of the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen in the state between September 4, 2023 and November, 2024.
In a statement made available available on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua, some local government chairmen, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, among others, were also allegedly indicted.
Submitting the report to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the chairman of the panel, Solomon Imohiosen, alleged that they were indicted for either mismanaging and/or diverting to private accounts, the sum of N95,080,676,687.86, being amount received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee, JAAC, by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen within the period under review.
Imohiosen listed some of the indicted persons to include the embattled chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government, Newman Ugiagbe who is also the State chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Ahonsi Ogiegbaen Osifo, Eric Agbonmwanre, Abraham Burma and Dickson Imasogie Notiemwenmwan.
The panel, alleged that the ALGON chairman used his hotel, the Demarriots Hotels Limited in collusion with others to loot Local Government funds.
READ MORE; Edo Govt Reclaims State Printing Press From Consultants
He further alleged that findings and forensic investigations uncovered that the N96 billion was either mismanaged and/or diverted to private accounts.
According to him, the panel observed that N95,080,676,687.86 was received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee, JAAC, by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen between September 4, 2023 and November, 2024. However, the funds were not judiciously utilized and nothing on ground to show for the fund.
“The panel established a case of fraudulent diversion of Local Government funds to political godfathers in the state. It was discovered that over N10,433 658,452.00 billion was fraudulently siphoned, using the pseudo name, “Security, Environment and Training”.
“The 18 Local Government Area Chairmen contributed the amount to the account, using it as a conduit pipe to drain government resources, as monies were transferred from there to various individuals and companies.
READ MORE; Edo Govt Issues 72-hrs Ultimatum To Those In Possession of Govt Vehicles To Return Them
“The panel’s investigation uncovered significant irregularities in the financial activities of the 18 Local Governments Councils. The recommendations outlined in the report aim to address these issues and promote transparency and accountability in the Local Governments finances.
In his remarks after receiving the committee’s report, Governor Okpebholo vowed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, would prosecute those indicted for allegedly looting the Local Government treasuries, running into over N95 billion.
“I want to thank you for a job well done. I carefully listened to the submission of the report. The truth is that the administration of former governor Godwin Obaseki took Edo people for granted. They took everything belonging to Edo people and channeled it for their personal gains.
“We thank God for helping us to change the narrative to benefit Edo people. We also thank the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because without his support, we will not be witnessing the kind of development we are experiencing in Edo today.
“They will be made to pay for it. I will personally take this document to the EFCC and ensure that justice is done for this wrong done to Edo people.
